MAX BR1 Pro 5G running FW 8.5.0 build 5636.
I get error "Failed to activate eSIM profile. The WAN does not support eSIM activation. " when trying to acquire with eSIM discovery.
I understand that this is expected behavior… but will we ever be allowed to activate eSIM over cellular only connection? I can send a firmware to the modem in this way with no issue. we really need the ability to add a carrier to our modems without having to do a truck roll.
For single cellular routers like the BR1 Pro 5G, to activate the BYO eSIM feature using a cellular WAN, we recommend using an Ethernet WAN, Wi-Fi WAN, or a USB WAN. If using a cellular WAN for first time activation is necessary, Peplink eSIM must be used to activate the BYO eSIM. Physical SIM cards will not work.
To clarify @Darwing_Li points above, the br1 pro 5g does not have a usb wan, so your options are:
Ethernet wan
Wifi-as-wan 2.4 or 5ghz
Cellular (only if using peplink esim)
The reason the cellular will work work to activate another cellular is the device has to switch to the sim “slot” that can write the esims, the internal peplink esim is already another esim profile and that’s what allows it to work.
Should’t every router with prime care be able to get online with its Peplink-eSIM to get at least the “BYO-eSIM”?
For a single-WAN-router, there should really be an option to activate the eSIM
I tried to get only with a “physical” SIM for the activation, but I am still getting:
Failed to activate eSIM profile. The WAN does not support eSIM activation.
Hi,
the router has to load the eSIM profile while the SIM is “inserted”, thats why you need a second (while loading the profile, only) Internet connection.
BR
Is this possible in any way through the Peplink eSIM?
The thing, I do not really understand:
Every eSIM-smartphone is able to activate an eSIM without additional, second ISP. What is the difference to the way, Peplink is working?
I have gotten lucky a few times by enabling wifi as wan and searching for open hotspots. its not ideal and I really wish there was a way to download the e-sim over cellular (store data in ram) and then write that e-sim upon reboot.
to get an answer here, maye @TK_Liew can help?
@KPS-ps @dennis.hofheinz , this is due to the cellular module will be reset when switching between SIMs. So, an additional WAN link is needed. The architecture for router and phone is different.
It seems like iPhone needs to be restarted after the eSIM activation - About eSIM on iPhone – Apple Support (MY). So, each device has their method to download and activate the eSIM.
@TK_Liew Thank you for your answer, but there should really be an option to “remote-enable” a SIM.
Would it be possible, if the router would be currently online on a Peplink-eSIM-plan?
The Peplink eSIM is preinstalled in the factory, so no need to download anything.
Thats clear, but would it be possible to:
Thank you for pushing this point as it would certainly be useful if we coudl deploy an esim to single cellular devices.
The fact that we can’t today suggests that the eSIM deployment logic is managed and driven by InControl rather than a routine that gets triggered on the remote device firmware.
@TK_Liew do you think it might be possible at some point?
Currently, there are lots of options, but all of them seem to have the same problem, when it comes to devices with only one interface…
This is the option we can do at the moment. Again, it still comes back to the cellular module will be reset when SIM switching happens. All the SIMs (Local SIM, Peplink eSIM, RSIM, FSIM, or BYO-eSIM) share the same cellular module. So, additional WAN link is needed when activating the eSIM.
Peplinks implement consumer esim , vs M2M, which requires an internet connection.
The BYO-eSIM can only be written to if the modem is in talking to the esim module or if it has another internet connection.
You can activate a BYO-eSIM, by first adding an individual data plan to the built-in peplink esim, or adding it to a peplink paid pooled plan or using another WAN.